Quick Stir-Fried Snow Peas or Sugar Snap Peas - From Mark Bittman

Quick Stir-Fried Snow Peas or Sugar Snap Peas

There's nothing to this, but if your peas are fesh, it's sensational.

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons peanut, canola, or other oil
• About 1 1/2 pounds snow or sugar snap peas, washed and trimmed
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon dark sesame oil (optional)

Method:

1. Place the oil in a large in a large, deep skillet or wok and turn the heat to high. When the oil begins to smoke, toss in the peas and cook, stirring almost constantly, until they are glossy, bright green and begin to show a few brown spots, about 5 minutes.

2. Turn off the heat and remove to a platter. Drizzle with soy sauce and sesame oil, if you like, and serve.

Lentil Soup

Makes 4 servings, takes 1 hour

1 cup dried lentils, washed and picked (Lentils = Masoori Dal in Indian Grocery Stores)
1 bay leaf
several sprigs fresh thyme or a few pinches dried
1 carrot (dice to 1/2 inches)
1 celery stalk (dice to 1/2 inches)
6 cups vegetable stock or water
Salt and fresh ground pepper
2 tbsp EV Olive Oil
1 onion chopped
1 tsp minced garlic

o put lentils, bay leaf, thyme carrot, celery and stock in sauce/stock pan; sprinkle salt pepper, etc. Bring to boil then cook at low heat for 30 mins until lentils are tender; later fish out bay and thyme leaves
o put olive oil in a small skillet, add onions cook until soft for 5 mins then add garlic
o add the sauteed onions to soup

Pureed Lentil Soup can be made by using immersion blender after the soup cools; then the soup can be gently reheated

Italian Lentil Soup can be made by adding 1/2 cup short grain rice (arborio if avail) while the soup is cooking for 15 mins. then add 1 cup chopped tomatoes while sauteing onion

Vegetable Stock Recipes - From Mark Bittman's book

Here is a summary of the different stock recipes in the wonderful book from Mark Bittman

Simple and Easy Stock - 40 mins
2 carrots (chunks)
1 onion (quartered)
1 potato (chunks)
1 celery stalk chopped
2 or 3 garlic cloves
10 or 20 parsley stems
2 tbsp EV olive oil
6 cup water

o put everything into water and boil for 30 mins; then strain

1 Hour stock
o Ingredients same as above but you can add 5 to 10 sliced mushrooms
o first heat oil, put veggies (except parsley) for 5 mins then add water, parsley and boil for 1 hour
o finally add soy sauce (2 tbsp or more) and other seasonings like pepper, salt etc. as needed

Mushroom Stock
2 tbsp oil (grapeseed, corn, etc)
1 small onion, 2 shallots or 1 leek
2 carrots chopped
2 celery stalks chopped
salt, pepper
1 lb white mushrooms chopped
1 oz dried shiitake, porcini or chinese mushrooms or combo
10 - 20 parsley stems
2 bay leaves (opt)
o cook onions until soft then veggies for 10 mins or so in oil
o then sautee mushroom for 10 mins
o put water (2 quarts) with parsley and bay leaves, bring to boil then med heat cook for 30 mins